Voyage Earth
by togepilover
Summary: Faye & Spike walk around and share a profound moment. First new chapter in like 8 months...
1. Default Chapter

Cowboy Bebop Mission: Earth

I do not own Cowboy Bebop.  Sunrise owns all of it.  I am simply borrowing their characters.  

This story is inspired by the song "Good Enough" by 19 Wheels.  The music isn't really at all fitting for Cowboy Bebop but it still inspired me.  I know all "Spike lives!" stories are kind of a reach but it's hard to do a romance any other way without going AU.  I don't know how Spike lived but maybe it'll turn up in this story eventually.  Without further adieu let's get on with the show!

                Spike Spiegel lay back on the couch.  The fan blades above him rotated lazily.  He puffed a cigarette patiently waiting for Faye to come through the common room.  It was about this time each day she rejoined the world of the living.  He'd developed a kind of kinship with her since he'd returned from the dead.  Jet was still angry with him for leaving.  He could tell by the look in the older man's eyes.  Twenty minutes passed like an eternity and still no sign of Faye.  Spike hoisted himself off the couch.  He'd been slowed down significantly since the siege on the Red Dragon.  He hadn't been able to bounty hunt with Faye since he'd returned.  She was the sole breadwinner for a time since Jet also was down with his own injury.  

                The cold of the Bebop was seeping into his bones.  Each step was measured and painful.  To the untrained eye his gait would seem normal and easygoing.  It was only a high tolerance for pain that that et him keep up appearances.  Spike walked soundlessly to Faye's room.  His footsteps like a whisper, disguising the agony the cold put him into.  As he approached Faye's room a kind of fond curiosity washed over him.  Was she sleeping?  Was she just thinking?  We all need a little time to ourselves.  Cautiously he approached the door.  After a soft knock she answered in a pleasant voice. "Come in."

                Spike casually walked in the door to see Faye packing.  She wore dark denim cut-offs and a red t-shirt bearing the name of some Martian casino.  Her usual ankle boots were replaced with a pair of brown leather hiking boots.  Part of her hair was pulled back in a messy clip.  She smiled as she turned around to face him.  "How are you feeling, Spike?"

                "Usual," he shrugged.  "Where are you going?"  

                "Well, since you're recovered enough and Jet can get by on his own I thought I'd go back to earth for a little while.  Since my memory came back I've had time to process things.  I'd like to spend a bit near my roots."  She turned back towards the mirror re-adjusting her hair, pinning up the loose ends.  She started to hum as she worked.  As she primped Spike stared into the mirror at her face.  A strange feeling was welling up inside.  Before he knew what he was doing he blurted the words out: 

                "I'm going with you."  Faye turned towards him visibly startled.  

                "Spike, this isn't your problem.  This is my past.  I'm JUST visiting."  His eyes showed no waver in his decision.  

                "I'm going with you."  

                "Look, it's just Earth!  I went to Callisto you couldn't have cared less.  You had to face your demons alone."  She noticed the concern etched on his near-stoic features.  "Spike, my demons aren't like yours.  Anyone I would have to fear is long gone.  I just want to re-connect with the self I was before I was in cryo-sleep.  I just have to do this on my own."

                Spike took a step closer.  "I couldn't protect one woman.  I won't let anything happen to you."  

He said the words quietly with force behind each syllable.  

"I'm not Julia, Spike."

"I never said you were."

She stared at him.  She was a capable woman.  She could more than take care of herself.  She was strong, smart, she could use a gun, and had gotten herself out of plenty of sticky situations before.  Still, none of this would really dissuade him.  Once Spike's mind was made up NOTHING in the world could stop him.  She sighed in defeat and zipped up her duffle bag.  It wasn't worth talking to him about.  "I can take care of myself so leave me the Hell alone!" she said as she walked out of the room.  Spike was left alone in the dim room.  He couldn't help but smile.  She was still Faye no matter how much she seemed to change.  

A few minutes later Spike had made his way back to the common room.  Jet was watching the news on TV with great interest.  "What do you want, Spike?" Jet said in harshly.  His gravelly voice made him sound gruffer than he truly was.  

"Just wanted to warn you of my upcoming absence," Spike said.  

"Another Red Dragon headquarters needs to be wiped out?"  the older man said, his eyes never moving from the television.  Spike winced internally at those words.  He had no doubt his actions had hurt the man deeply.  His sarcasm only reinforced the idea.  

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm going to Earth." Spike said. "With Faye."

"With Faye?  Why?  I thought you two couldn't stand each other." Jet said still refusing to look at him.  

"I feel obligated I guess," Spike lied.  "for her taking care of us and everything."  

"Well, why are you telling me this?  Are you looking for permission?  You never seemed to listen to me before."  He finally looked Spike in the eye.  Jet's bitterness was getting old.  

"Damn it, Jet!  I can't atone forever.  I did what I had to do.  Can't you understand that?  Can't you let it go?  I didn't want to get you involved!  I didn't want to get Faye involved.  What if I had stayed?  Vicious would have come after me!"   Spike said angrily.  

"We would have stood by you.  We thought you were dead!  Do you have any idea what that did to us?  What that did to Faye?" Jet spat.  

"Look!  People were hurt because of me, people I cared about.  I couldn't stand the idea of anyone else being hurt because of me.  I had to end it.  I was not going to let anything happen to anyone else.  My life isn't worth all the blood that's been spilled." Spike shouted.  

"You have no idea what we went through!  You have no goddamn clue!  Not knowing was the worst.  I watched Faye wasting away before my eyes.  If you gave a shit about us you would have given us the choice rather than making it for us."  Spike looked down in shame.  

"I'm sorry you feel that way.  Look.  I'm going to be back.  If you need me just call my communicator."  

"Doesn't bother me any, Spike.  You all come and go as you please.  I may not be docked here."  He got up taking his cane from the side of the couch.  "Do whatever the Hell you two want.  I'll get some goddamn peace and quiet.  None of you will be eating my food or wasting the electricity."  He hobbled towards the kitchen with his cane.  "It'll be a relief," Jet said as he disappeared from view.  

                Spike breathed a sigh of relief. He was one step closer to Jet forgiving him.  He'd finally gotten a rise out of the old man instead of the usual glare whenever he walked by.  Spike walked towards the hangar.  He whistled casually as he walked through the ship.  It was a lot quieter without Ed and the dog.  Things just seemed so much more serious.  There was no laughter on the ship. There was only tension and blame.  Ed and Ein's antics had always lightened the mood.  He leaned against the Swordfish II smoking a cigarette.  That damn woman took forever.  Julia had been pretty high maintenance.  Faye was a tomboy compared to her really.  She had no problems getting her hands dirty.

                The echo of footsteps broke Spike's concentration.  "About friggin' time, Faye.  I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind."   

                "I was hoping you would have changed yours, Gawjo."  Faye said.  Her hand rested on her hip.  Her eyes flashed with anger.  He couldn't help but be a tad excited by that. 

                "I'll see you on Earth, Romani."  With that Spike climbed into his ship, landing nimbly in the cockpit.  He held back a cry of pain as he hit the seat hard.  Faye glared at him as she threw her duffle bag in the back of the Redtail.  She hopped in and braced herself for the the initial swoop into space.  The bay doors started to open up to the darkness of space.  She counted the seconds before the doors would open adequately for her ship to fly out.  "Three.." she said allowing her engines to warm up a bit.  "Two..." she muttered flipping on a few switches.  "One..." she said about to floor it but Spike's ship cut her off.  "Dammit!  He's gotta wait for me anyway!" Faye shouted at no one.  She flew out into the darkness leaving a faint trail in her wake.  

         "Hey, Faye."  Spike's voice said the second before he popped up on her monitor.  "Getting slow in your old age?"  

                "You, asshole!  You don't know where you're going anyways so why did you cut me off?" Faye screamed at him.  He ended his transmission.  

                "I knew you'd catch up with me eventually."  He cruised up next to her.  

                "Well you're going to have to do better than that to keep up with me."  Faye said dropping off and heading off to the left.  

                "Damn woman!  What's she trying to do?"  Spike followed her and started a chase.  He followed her closely as she swerved this way and that, cruised straight up and eventually chased her back towards the Bebop.  Jet looked up in time to see Faye with Spike in hot pursuit cruising at insane speeds within meters of the ship.  

                "Those two are insane!"  Jet yelled in frustration.  He stomped towards the common room.  He figured watching through the Bebop's large windows would only encourage the crazy twosome.  They circled the ship around and around at least three times before Faye shot off into space.  Spike's ship easily kept up with the Redtail.   

"You'll have to do better than that, Faye," Spike said into the ship's communicator.  

"Grrrrrrrrr..." Faye grumbled.  She recklessly looped around behind Spike and started shooting at him.

"Hey!" Spike maneuvered out of the line of fire.  "What the Hell was that for?"  Faye ignored him and took off towards Earth straight over him.  "Damn woman…" he muttered as he took off after her.

Faye approached Earth and slowed down significantly.  A smile crept over her lips.  The blue oceans covering the planet gave it such a shine.  She simply drifted a few moments before typing in more exact coordinates to get her to her destination.  Earth was definitely where she was from.  She wouldn't necessarily call it her home.  She probably didn't have a home.  Earth was definitely a touchstone though.  "Being from Mars, Spike really couldn't understand," she thought.  Each continent seemed to be placed perfectly.  The meteors made Earth almost uninhabitable.  Still, there was nothing quite as beautiful as the view of it from space.  No planet even came close.  She could see Spike whizzing up behind her.  She pressed a button on the console reluctantly.  "Here we go," she said as her ship turned towards the west coast of North America.  

"Hey, Faye, where are we going?"  Spike asked over the intercom. 

"Follow my lead, Cowboy.  We're heading to the area formerly the culture capital of the Western World.  Los Angeles here we come!"      

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

If anyone likes this story I will continue it.  Next our fine heroes will arrive in Faye's former city to find things not quite as they were.  The actions of the characters may surprise you.  If you like please read my other (completely unrelated) story "Are You Sad?".  Is it just me..or is it getting' a lil 'shippy in here?  


	2. Chapter 2: Mexico

Once again: I do not own Cowboy Bebop or any of its characters in any way shape or form. I legitimately own every DVD though.  
  
Thanks to everyone who submitted a review. I wish I had more time to write and update but work has been a hassle. I'm sure it's just going to get worse with the days off I'm taking for Ohayo-con. I'm inspired to write more when I know people are looking forward to updates. Hint, hint. I know this is story is a tad slow. I hate when everything happens all at once without a build-up, y'know? This is more of a slow romance than anything. If it was anything else I'd label it accordingly.  
  
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Chapter 2  
  
The Swordfish II and the Redtail raced towards the Earth's surface. Each swooped and rolled trying to outdo the other. Faye had to smile at Spike's dogged perseverance. It just didn't feel natural to have his focus directed at her. After a painless descent through Earth's atmosphere the desert came into view. Spike playfully flew right above the ground enjoying the clouds of sand he stirred up. It was relatively uninhabited in the desert. They passed by a few abandoned buildings but nothing that appeared inhabited. Eventually they reached the ocean.  
  
Faye's face popped up on the Swordfish's monitor. "All right, Spike. We're heading north from here on. We should arrive in L.A. in a few minutes if the map I down loaded is right." Faye was giddy with excitement over seeing the "waterfall place" and other monuments of her youth. The first time she had seen the ruins that had been her house she really wasn't ready. She had still wanted to recapture the life she had lost. When that dream was ripped from her she had decided to forget it. The past she had tried so hard to remember left her feeling only sadness. She had mourned it because it was in many ways "dead." The parents she remembered had almost certainly passed away by now if they hadn't died in the accident. The city had changed almost beyond recognition. Her friends had all grown up. Still, some of her past was there and she wanted to reconnect with it.  
  
Faye felt more at peace lately. She'd been so elated that Spike was alive.and caring for him and Jet kept her busy. She really hadn't had much time to feel bad. She looked over. Spike was flying parallel to the Redtail. He was peering down at the ocean. The water was glistening in the midday sun. She really couldn't stay upset at Spike. A few seconds later his face popped up on the Redtail's monitor. "Hey, Faye, are we there yet?" Spike was grinning.  
  
"Just a little further. Can't you be patient for once?" Faye was starting to think she could stay upset at him.  
  
"Patience isn't my forte. Besides, I'm getting hungry. Let's get something to eat."  
  
"Hey! You're just tagging along. I'm calling the shots here. Why didn't you eat before we left?"  
  
"Because some shrew ate everything last night!" Faye was caught there. She'd eaten well then hoarded a few non-perishables for her trip.  
  
"Fine, we'll find somewhere to eat, but we're not going too far off course."  
  
"Fine, by me," Spike said cruising off ahead of her. Faye switched on her radio and sped up to keep up with him.  
  
"Hey, Faye, I see a town up ahead." His transmission caused her music to cut out.  
  
"All right, Spike. Land somewhere that looks safe and I'll follow." Spike circled and eventually landed just outside the adobe village. Faye settled the Redtail right next to the Swordfish II. Spike stepped out of his ship stiffly. Being cooped up for that long had been a royal pain. He tried to hide it. Faye didn't seem to notice as she hopped out. The town looked uninhabited. It was midday though and the heat would drive anything living away from the sun. "Hurry, Spike. Look for any place that looks like a restaurant!"  
  
"Chill out, Faye!" Spike said.  
  
"That's exactly what I'd like to do. My feet are burning up!"  
  
"Don't make me carry you," he deadpanned.  
  
"Oh just shut up, cowboy." Spike couldn't help but laugh at her. She was tough as they came but still could whine like a child. "Follow me, Faye.I'll figure out where we're going." Spike said as he walked further into town. A few minutes later they were sitting in a quiet Mexican restaurant. "Told you I'd find somewhere."  
  
"Like it was that hard to find," Faye countered as she looked at her menu. "It all looks so good," she thought aloud.  
  
"Careful, the acceptable beef grades for Earth are different than Mars."  
  
"If Jet's cooking didn't kill me nothing here can. Mmmm..the chicken quesadillas look good. What are you getting?" she asked still hidden behind the menu.  
  
"Beef fajitas."  
  
"Hypocrite."  
  
"Yeah, yeah. So what are we going to do in Los Angeles?"  
  
Faye put her menu down finally. "I don't know exactly. I really just want to look around. Last time I was on Earth I was looking for something to grasp on to. Now I think I'm looking for something to let go of. I need a little closure. You know what I mean?"  
  
"I know EXACTLY what you mean," Spike said quietly. Faye blushed a little. She felt stupid. Of course Spike knew about closure. Closure, closure, closure. All that Spike lived for was his goddamn closure. "Time to end the dream" "Go see if I'm really alive." All of that BS.. "I have a home now. I don't need to find my place. I just want to see more of where I came from." Faye looked down then finished her beer. Spike didn't know what to say. Faye was opening up a little more each day. It scared him but he couldn't tear himself away from the spectacle. He'd spent a good amount of time avoiding getting to know her. Now he wanted to witness each piece of the puzzle fall into place. Instead of warm empathy Spike reacted to her spilling her guts in typical Spike fashion. "Hey, Faye, want another beer?" Faye shook her head and zoned out for a bit. A waiter came and took their order. Faye just gazed out the window for a bit. When their food came neither spoke a word. They ate in silence except for the occasional "You gonna eat that?" or "Pass me another napkin."  
  
"We should get back on our way now, Spike. I want to make it to L.A. pretty early," Faye said. The pitcher was empty and plates were licked clean.  
  
"All right. Just give me one minute and we'll leave," Spike said. He got up and walked towards the back. A busboy was wiping a table near there. "Excuse me, kid. Where's the bathroom?"  
  
"Que?" Spike realized the boy spoke no English.  
  
"Uh...donde...uh...es el bano?" Spike said racking his brain for the little Spanish he knew.  
  
"Right over there, punto," the kid said pointing towards a hallway a man in a large sombrero was heading towards.  
  
"Thanks, HEY!" Spike let it slide. He really had to go. He was taking care of his business when he heard voices in the corner.  
  
"Muchacho, the deal went off without a hitch." Spike glanced over without seeming to obvious. From the corner of his eye that looked suspiciously like the bounty Faye had been after a few weeks ago and lost. Spike zipped his pants and continued his watch. Well, while he was here...he drew his gun carefully.  
  
"Enrique Sanchez! You just made my day!" Spike confidently aimed his gun at the man.  
  
"Mierda!" Enrique said hurling the full weight of his briefcase at Spike. The other man took off. Spike was hit hard in the gut. Normally a hit like that would not have fazed him, but with his injuries it doubled him over in pain. The briefcase skidded across the floor, hitting the far wall with a thud.  
  
"Son of a-" Spike tried to catch his breath as the bounty took one last look at him and ran. He tried to shake it off as he walked out. Faye was outside the bathroom waiting for him. Shouting had started in English as well as Spanish. She looked slightly angry, yet worried.  
  
"Spike, Don't! Don't ruin this for me." She had her hand on his arm. Her eyes pleaded for him not to go after the bounty. He knew she wasn't going to scream at him. Part of that fight went out of her when he left the Bebop. He'd broken her spirit in a lot of ways. He found it hard to disappoint those eyes again. He had blown her off for his mission. Since this was her trip and he was simply protection he couldn't do this to her.  
  
"All right." Spike would never admit that his injuries stopped him from pursuing. Spike Spiegel did NOT like to show weakness/ Much like the Black Dog, he found it difficult to give up a chase. Because of Faye's wishes, they left quietly trying not to draw attention. Who knew how many fugitives and dealers were around.  
  
Next chapter Faye and Spike arrive at their destination. Faye continues to open up. I promise things will start getting exciting. 


	3. LA

I do not own Cowboy Bebop. Those lovely folk over at Sunrise do. I make no profit off of this. Please don't sue me.

Mission Earth

Chapter 3: L.A.

Faye looked down at the small city below her. The once sprawling metropolis was largely gone. Only a small settlement remained. Craters and piles of concrete lay on the outskirts of town. "What could have done all of this?" Faye thought. It hadn't even been this bad when she had been there a few months before. She started to descend towards the ground. Spike followed. They landed their ships easily. Faye casually looked around the inside of her ship to make sure she didn't forget her bag. Spike waited outside his ship smoking a cigarette. He rested in the shade the left wing provided. It was still very hot and sunny. Faye didn't seem to mind it. He glanced over. She was humming and digging around in her ship for her handbag and sunglasses. She closed her ship up and walked towards him. 

"All right, Faye, what is the plan?" Spike asked.

"I thought we'd walk around the city and I'd look for things I remember."

"So you have no plan? Do you even know which direction?"

"No clue." 

"You're more reckless than I am," Spike snorted as he followed her towards the city. Unlike their last stop this city had a lot of signs of habitation. The buildings all seemed newer. Some were of concrete, some were of adobe, some were vinyl-sided and some were plain structures with tin roofs. Children's bikes leaned against houses in alleys, cats ran across the path, and cars, some working, some not, were parked around. Not many people were out during this part of the afternoon but a few were. As Spike and Faye walked silently through the streets it wasn't unusual to see someone walking their dog or riding a bike. The occasional shadow from the remnants of a sky scraper crossed their path. No inhabited buildings were more than two or three stories. Most were only one. 

"Just imagine, Spike. Fifty years ago this was all crowded city. There were shopping malls and apartment buildings, office buildings, 5-lane streets full of cars, and sidewalks bustling with people. Now it's nearly abandoned."

"The Gate Accident DID make Earth nearly uninhabitable, Faye. Look at how many craters there are. Look how many buildings have fallen over. Really, I don't see what the big deal about Earth is." 

"Of course you don't. You were born on Mars. Don't you feel just a little bit at home? This is where we came from. This is where all of the human beings colonizing all of the planets in the solar system are from. This was the start of everything man has accomplished. It's the thread we all have in common."

Spike looked over at Faye like she'd grown another head. This whole Earth thing was making her say crazy things. "Yeah, Faye. Start of all of civilization. Got it."

Faye looked away. He never would get it. The pig-headed bastard only saw his own little self-centered world. Where he came from was not as important as where he would go and what he couldn't escape. Then again, Spike was not tied to places, just people. The setting might change but the people were the defining portion of his past. Maybe she should take a little of that to heart. 

They approached a pavilion nestled amongst the ruins of a few skyscrapers. It had a a fountain in the middle as well as benches and a few statues. Most were heavily damaged by acid rain and neglect. The fountain was dry and had obviously been out of use for a while. "Let's take a break, Spike," Faye said sitting down on one of the benches. Spike sat down without a word on a bench next to Faye's. Faye rummaged around in her bag. 

"Have you seen anything you recognize yet, Faye?" Spike asked.

"Not yet. I'm glad I'm here though. It feels familiar even if it doesn't look it." She was enjoying the blue sky and sun. The bench she was sitting on was still warm from the afternoon sun. Finally she found the morsel she was looking for in her bag. She took out a bread roll and started to tear it up. It was one of those hard rolls with the soft middle that kept so well while traveling. Spike noticed what she was doing as she gulped down the last of the roll and took out a second one.

"Hey! Why didn't you tell me you had that earlier?" 

"I only had one." Faye said with a mouth full of bread.

"Liar, you have another one in your hand." Faye hadn't hid her prize in time. "Gimme that one since you ate the last one."

"No way! I brought it! You should have brought your own" 

"Faye..." Spike said. His patience was just about out. 

She gave him one last look and tore off half. She handed it to him and he began munching on it. Faye laid back on the bench and looked up at the clouds. 

"Spike, do you ever miss the sky when you're in space?" Faye asked after a silent moment. 

"No. In space all there is is sky. You can't miss it if it's there." 

"It's not the same though. It doesn't change colors. There are no clouds. I miss the sky when we're in space. I used to be confused because I really didn't know where I came from. How could I miss something I didn't remember looking up at every day?"

Spike watched the fluffy white clouds drift overhead. Earth's sky was a lot different than Mars. The reds of the sky on Mars made him think of blood. A LOT of blood had been spilled there, a lot of his blood. He didn't look forward to going back there for a while. The silence was comfortable as the two laid there. Spike glanced over at her. Faye was lost in a reverie. Her green eyes were only half-open in that dreamy way. Her sunglasses were perched over her forehead. She really was a striking girl when she shut up. She looked pretty tired. "Faye, did you want to stay overnight here? I mean then you can see an Earth sunset and a sunrise." 

Faye took a minute to answer. She seemed to snap out of her reverie, think about it for a second. "All right. We can do that," she said in a way that sounded more like she was giving in than appreciating Spike for being thoughtful for once. She momentarily wondered where this Spike had come from. If he'd been switched with the real Spike she just might keep this one. He was a lot less predictable and quite a bit more polite. Subtle walls seemed to be dropping between them. The barriers they kept up were crumbling. Maybe it was just too much effort to keep pushing people away. Both of them were so lonely and now all the crew had was each other. Jet was still so cold to Spike. She was one of the few he could turn to. She was one of the few he could trust to watch his back. Faye almost believed she may even be able to depend on him. She sat up and got off the bench. "All right, Spike. Get off your back, you lazy bum. Let's go find a hotel." 

Spike glanced in her direction in an irritated way. He got up and scratched his head. "Lead the way, woman. I have no idea where anything is on this wasteland." Faye glared at him then started walking towards the more inhabited part of town. Spike really wished he had a new pair of shoes. His were worn and kind of uncomfortable. "Can we stop by the ship? I have a change of clothes in there. This heat has me sweating."

"That's because you're wearing long sleeves and layers. Did you ever think to ask what kind of climate we were going to?"

"No."

"Men. Always so stupid!" 

They walked back in silence. Faye was taking in her surroundings. The afternoon sun was past its prime though it was still very warm. They were still a ways from the inhabited part of town. They had traveled about as far west as they could. It was all water from there on out. Lurking among the skyscrapers that lay toppled in the water didn't seem very safe anyways. The way light reflected off the blue depths onto the pale concrete was striking in an odd sort of way. Ruins never really struck him as very beautiful until now. It reminded him in a way of a mortality on a grand level that he had lost touch with. All that man created, no matter how great, could be destroyed. Faye had gotten a bit ahead of him and he hurried to catch up

The two of them walked through the town that only hours before had seemed sparsely populated. As it became gradually cooler more people appeared in the alleys and on the steps and porches of the houses. Many of the locals nodded at the two strangers. They seemed a quirky lot, much like Ed. 

They arrived where the ships were parked as dusk was imminent. Faye tapped her foot impatiently after retrieving her duffle bag from the Redtail. Spike rummaged around the Swordfish in search of his clothes. Faye was halfway through a cigarette by the time he had gathered everything. 

"Okay, I'm ready.." Spike said smiling at her. Faye just rolled her eyes. 

"I hope we can find a hotel. This doesn't seem like a real touristy area and I really don't feel like camping." 

"Ask one of the locals. They're all staring at us anyway." Faye glared at him for stating the obvious and walked towards one of the houses. Spike hung back afraid they would assume the shrew was his wife. He found himself observing her as she used the patented Faye charm on a man in front of a small stucco house. She acted shy and coyly placed a lock of hair behind her ear as she spoke. The man pointed towards the north and she graciously thanked him for the information. 

Faye walked back towards Spike. "He said the two story adobe building with the lanterns on it is the only hotel in town. Half of it is destroyed but it's still open for business." 

Spike nodded in approval glad it wasn't very far away. 

"He said they don't get many honeymooners around here."

"What?!" Spike exclaimed. "You didn't tell him that did you?" 

"Geez, Spike. Don't take everything so seriously. I told him you were my brother and we were here out of family duty. Our parents left Earth when we were very young but wanted us to visit as a condition of our inheritance."

"You've been watching too many girly dramas on TV again." Spike figured no matter how hokey it sounded it was better than everyone assuming they were honeymooners. A lot of people on Earth bent the truth on why they were there. Many had dubious origins. Bounty hunters proved pretty unpopular on Earth for that reason. 

They made it to the hotel in just a few minutes. The lobby was quaint with under-watered houseplants and a few mismatched rickety chairs. Faye rang the bell and was greeted by a worn looking woman in her 40's. She had tired eyes and dirty hands. This was typical for Earth so Faye thought little of it. She asked the price for lodging and was dismayed to find it higher than she expected. Most of the rooms had been rented by people who's houses were destroyed by meteors or earthquake. After a quick sidebar conference with Spike she whipped out her money card and paid for their double bed room. Spike found it strange he didn't object to this arrangement. He knew one thing for sure. She better not snore. 

At the top of the stairs they found their room. Faye unlocked the door and promptly dropped her bag a few feet inside. Spike collapsed into a chair as Faye explored the room. His whole body ached. Walking all day was a BAD idea. At least he was rid of the cold on the ship. After lighting a cigarette he leaned back into the worn leather and closed his eyes. The pain was almost unbearable. He was soaked with sweat as well. Faye came back in looking like a giddy child. "Spike, Spike. You HAVE to see this." 

He sat there not willing to move. "What?" He groaned. "I don't want to move."

"Spike, you have to. Come on. Get up." Faye was not going to let up. 

"I CAN'T move, Faye. My legs are too tired." 

"Come on, lunkhead!" He was surprised when she took his hands and pulled him out of the chair. 

"I'm up! I'm up!" he said not letting the cigarette fall from his lips. She lead him out onto a terrace. 

"Isn't it beautiful?" Spike couldn't believe it but he was glad she had dragged him out there. He smiled genuinely. There in all of its glory was an Earth sunset. The orange and pink hues were doubled by the undulating reflection in the water. The dark silhouettes of the fallen buildings set it off perfectly. He didn't answer Faye but simply put a hand on her shoulder. It seemed like it was only the two of them sharing one moment that, for once in their lives, was completely perfect. 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I always want to promise things will get better and more exciting but I'm hitting a lull. I don't want to throw in carnage and destruction just for kicks though. I have chapter 4 written but it needs serious tweaking because I'm bored to tears reading it. 


End file.
